It might be too early to call it a crisis of confidence, but the Winnipeg Jets seem to have lost some of their third-period swagger.
A team that went 42-1-1 when leading after 40 minutes last season is now 7-3-2 after two periods in 2018-19 (with only minor roster tinkering in the off-season), having blown two third-period leads in its last three games.
On Tuesday, the Jets were nursing a 3-2 lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins before allowing goals by Derek Grant and Zach Aston-Reese, a pair of bottom-six forwards, en route to a 4-3 defeat.
"We’ve just got to protect leads — we haven’t done it," veteran left-winger Mathieu Perreault said following practice at Bell MTS Place Wednesday.